Geranium saxatile Kar. & Kir., Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 15: 177 1842. (syn: Geranium collinum var. alpinum Regel; Geranium collinum var. saxatile [Kar. & Kir.] Regel; Geranium grandiflorum var. alpinum (Regel) R. Knuth in Engl.; Geranium regelii Nevski);
Central Asia to Mongolia and Pakistan as per POWO;
 
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Fwd: Geraniums in Ladakh Part I : 8 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (6)
I am posting some fine images of a showy Geranium taken in Ladakh by Feroze Khan & Mudita Badhwar supplied through Deepak Badwhar.
I know what I consider this species to be but would be informative for members of this group to offer suggestions or if they can, a firm identification.
Intend to post images of other Geraniums from Ladakh.
These seem to match my specimens of Geranium collinum.
Thanks for this I shall comment further about G.collinum in due course.
For the time being, Dickore & Klimes in the most up-to-date check-list for Ladakh only list
Geranium himalayense, G.pratense susbp. stewartianum, G.regelii and G. sibiricum.
The Geranium collected by my team during the Southampton University Ladakh Expedition 1980 number 12 was identified at Kew as Geranium collinum Willd. – found at 3200m in grassy verge by irrigation channel of barley field at Panichar in Suru Valley. Moist loamy soil. With Senecio chrysanthemoides, & grasses. Petals pale mauve with purple lines, some lilac almost white but still with purple veins.
The member of the Kew staff who determined the specimen had been to Afghanistan (where I currently consider G.collinum is found) and assumed our geranium was this species but that was 35 years ago.
I now consider this to be Geranium himalayense Klotsch (syn. G.grandiflorum).
The Geranium collected during the Southampton University Expedition to Zanskar, 1981 was named at the Natural History Museum, London as Geranium cf. meeboldii. This, No.1, was the first specimen that team collected – at 3350m; it was abundant in sandy/clay soil along irrigation channels around field at Padum; the channel banks were moist and sometimes full of water.
I now consider this to be Geranium himalayense Klotsch (syn. G.grandiflorum).
However, I do not consider the geranium photographed by Khan & Badwhar to be this species but a different one, not currently on eFI.
Please note that some specimens I find hard to distinguish between G.himalayense and this species – I have attempted to explain already (and shall elaborate) on the challenges some Geraniums present identification-wise.
I shall comment further once I have received (studied) a copy of a relevant book which I have been able to order second-hand at a modest cost in aid of one of Air Ambulance Services.
Thanks for the response but disappointed that nobody else has suggested an identification.
I shall comment further about my present understanding of Geraniums in Ladakh but for the time-being will say that I am in agreement with the listing by Dickore & Klimes (2005) for Ladakh of:
Geranium himalayense
G.pratense susbp. stewartianum (though have not seen it in Ladakh myself – the nearest being Baltal near Sonamarg at the bottom of the Zoji La)
Geranium regelii
Geranium sibiricum
I guess matching with Geranium saxatile Kar. & Kir. Syn : Geranium regelii Nevski
From where did you identify it as it is a very confusing genus?
Appears possible as per GBIF specimens:
Specimen 2
Thank you …! Actually, I am spending whole day since few days to track IDs of pending’s in site.
So, googling and books referring !
Thanks, … What about this one ?
Cross verifying listing from Ladakh you have recently sent and googling!
References:
Catalogue of Life POWO The Plant List Ver.1.1 IPNI GBIF (High resolution specimens) Specimen 1 Specimen 2
